McConaghie Counseling

McConaghie Counseling is pleased to offer a new class called Quaran-Teen. During these challenging times, young people, more than ever, need life skills to manage their emotions, cope with difficulty and relate to others. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a proven model for teaching these skills and we are so excited to offer this to middle and high schoolers. This will be a three part series, each part being eight 90-minute sessions. The first part, Distress Tolerance, begins on Tuesday, October 13. Please see the attached flyer for details and call our office at 770-645-8933 to register or with any questions.

It is so hard!! With empathy and compassion for all you parents trying to manage school and all family issues during a pandemic!

In our work as therapists we often witness the suffering that perfectionism causes our clients. This article does a great job of explaining how perfectionism not only makes us anxious and sad, but even is an obstacle to success. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-rise BBC.COM The dangerous downsides of perfectionism

Here is a free family dinner conversation card game that is sure to make dinner, or anytime, more fun and meaningful! https://www.betweensessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Family_Dinner_Game__LS0420.pdf BETWEENSESSIONS.COM www.betweensessions.com

Appreciating the Smallest of Things by Hedda Sharapan This summer I found another message in Fred’s work that can help us in these challenging times. It’s a phrase in one of the stories Fred told about his grandfather: …Every time I was with him, he’d show me something about the world or something about myself that I hadn’t even thought of yet. He’d help me find something wonderful in the smallest of things… “… find something wonderful in the smallest of things.” That’s the phrase I’ve been holding on to through the past few months. It’s reminded me as I walk around the neighborhood to focus on the little things – the little things that are right there, in front of me. At first a cluster of big flowers catch my attention with their burst of color, but when I take the time to look closely, that’s when I notice the little wonders – tiny white flowers close to the ground, a parade of ants on the sidewalk, an interesting tree root. Fred wasn’t focused on the big, fast and bold – for himself or for the Neighborhood. He would often show us something ordinary like a toy truck, a snow globe or a plant, then he’d give us two “tools” – time to look at it and silence. He used the same approach, inviting us to “look and listen carefully” when he took us to places like Negri’s Music Shop, factories, artist studios and museums. What a great way to encourage children to focus their attention. Maybe even more importantly, he was helping us to appreciate the little things in the world around us. How can we carry Fred’s message into our work with children – and into our own lives? By offering opportunities I recently heard about a father who took his children outside for an “adventure” -- to look for bugs. Not to capture them. Just to look for them. Imagine how engaged they would be, searching for the tiny creatures, discovering all kinds of things about bugs on leaves, in the dirt, on flowers. Here’s an idea for another simple “adventure” for children -- find something small (smaller than your hand) that’s “interesting” in and around the neighborhood. You could offer a magnifying glass for a closer look. You or the children might want to photograph the treasures. There are lots of small things to notice indoors, too. Think about what it means when you’ve encouraged children to sit and “read” a book. See how carefully they look at every page, every illustration. There’s so much to see and notice. I remember a child pointing out to me the world of the mice at the bottom of every page of the classic picture book Something from Nothing. I had been so busy looking at the words when I was reading that I hadn’t noticed it! By offering time Think about how much more we can see when have enough time to really look. Let’s give children that kind of time, keeping in mind that some may want more time to explore than others. There’s another way to offer more time for those who want it – it’s in the word “again.” Let’s give children the opportunity to see the same things “again” – the same books, the same STEM experiment, the same route for a walk. When we look at the same things over and over again, we tend to notice something more each time, especially the little things we didn’t see before. By offering quiet There’s a wonderful page in Byrd Baylor’s book Everybody Needs a Rock that offers one of the essential “rules” for finding the perfect rock for you – everything has to be quiet. It can be so much easier to focus when there are no distractions. I also know it can sometimes be hard for us to maintain silence when children are exploring. We want to take advantage of a teachable moment and ask an open-ended question or show that we care about what the child is doing. Over the years I’ve talked with a number of teachers about times like that, and they’ve said it takes a lot of inner discipline to just let the exploration happen in silence. There’s time to talk and ask questions after. They don’t want to interrupt the concentration, knowing how important that is for learning. In these upside-down times, it sure helps all of us, young and old alike, to remember that our world is full of small and wondrous things. Think about the pleasure we can find in little things, like the sweet juicy taste of a summertime fruit, a friendly wave from a neighbor, a kind note on an email or a bit of cool shade on a hot summer day. I can almost hear Fred saying, "It's such a good feeling!" Hedda Hedda Sharapan M.S. Child Development PNC Grow Up Great Senior Fellow

Cooperative Divorce Webinar Divorce Town USA® proudly presents a FREE Webinar: Cooperative Divorce Solutions for Any Couple, which is open to any member of the public or professional community. Cooperative Divorce Solutions for Any Couple FREE – Online Friday, June 26, 2020 at 1:00 pm EST REGISTER HERE! https://event.webinarjam.com/register/15/xo8grhn You, your friends, family, clients and anyone else you think will benefit from this Webinar are all invited! Participants will learn . . . ◻️ How to Avoid a Money Sucking, Time Consuming, Sanity Stealing Court Battle. ◻️ Divorce Solutions Even for Couples Who Have Stopped Speaking or Can't See Eye to Eye on Anything. ◻️ The Amicable Divorce Process: What is it? Why is it Preferred over Litigation? ◻️ The Upside-Down Divorce™: How turning the typical divorce process upside down and inside out just might be the key to a happy, healthier path. ◻️ The Financial Neutral / Mediation Solution: When meeting with a neutral party is a good idea and what you should look forward in the system and processes they might use in your case. The DivorceTown® USA Panelists and Their Topics: ϖ Moderator: Lisa C. Decker, CDFA®, RCS-D® ϖ Presenter: Tracy Ann Moore-Grant, Family Law Attorney, Partner at Patterson, Moore, Butler, Mediator, Arbitrator and Guardian Ad-Litem Topic: The Amicable Divorce Process – What it is and how it works – and Why it’s better than Litigation. ϖ Andrew McConaghie, LCSW, Owner of McConaghie Counseling Topic: The Upside-Down Divorce™ - and How it Contributes to a Happier, Healthier Divorce Process.

Are your sweet little monkeys driving you crazy? Here's something to make you smile as you guide them through the day, loving them and keeping them safe! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=422926721684644 Prof. dr. Freek Vonk September 2, 2019 at 6:27 AM · The language of a mother is universal ❤️

REMINDER - Tracy will be speaking at this event tomorrow! The FREE DivorceTown USA® Webinar: Child-Centered Divorce - The Challenges & Rewards is Wednesday, 1/27 AT 1:00 PM. Have you registered? If you are contemplating, facing or even past the divorce process, and you have kids, this Webinar is one you don't want to miss! Our esteemed panel of divorce professionals will assist you and your family to have a happier, healthier divorce. If you've already registered then you're ready to go! You'll receive an email reminder and Webinar Link later today! Even if you can't attend the live event, as long as you're registered, you'll still receive the free replay! REGISTER HERE! https://event.webinarjam.com/register/25/272nqtmm

Tracy will be speaking at this important Divorce Town webinar on Wednesday, January 27 at 1:00 PM. She will discuss how to protect your child's mental health during and after a divorce, what children really need from their parents and how child counseling can help. Click on the link to register! https://event.webinarjam.com/register/25/272nqtmm EVENT.WEBINARJAM.COM Child-Centered Divorce - The Challenges & Rewards

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/advice-from-therapists-this-year_l_5fdccf92c5b650b99adc14cf?ncid=APPLENEWS00001 HUFFPOST.COM 15 Golden Pieces Of Advice People Got From Their Therapists This Year